Bad Synonyms | Uses & Example Sentences

Bad is an adjective, adverb, and noun that has diverse meanings in English and almost always carries a negative connotation.

Bad can mean “of poor quality,” “morally unacceptable,” “unhappy,” “harmful,” “unhealthy,” “unhappy,” “unpleasant or unfavorable,” “naughty,” and “rotten.”

Some synonyms for bad are:

• Poor
• Awful
• Wrong
• Evil
• Sad
• Sorry
• Dangerous
• Detrimental
• Ill
• Sick
• Miserable
• Disobedient
• Mischievious
• Putrid
• Off

QuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you find other synonyms for “bad” to reflect your intended meaning.

Synonyms for bad

Bad has many meanings. First, understand what you want to convey, and then choose a synonym.

Of poor quality

Some synonyms for bad are stronger matches than others. “Poor” can generally be interchanged with bad when it means “of poor quality.” On the other hand, “faulty” means “having defects.” For example, a Rolls Royce may be of high quality, but due to a manufacturing error, it could be “faulty.”

Morally unacceptable

Bad meaning “morally unacceptable” and its synonyms are often used with the verb “to feel.” They can also sometimes work as nouns (e.g., “choose between right and wrong” or “a fight between good and evil”).

Unhappy

When bad means “unhappy,” it can imply sadness, remorse, or regret.

Harmful

When it means “harmful,” bad is often used with the preposition “for” (e.g., “too much fast food is bad for your nutrition”). However, many synonyms take the preposition “to” (e.g., “too much fast food is detrimental to your nutrition”).

Unhealthy

When it comes to synonyms for bad meaning “unhealthy,” some refer to how a person is currently feeling (e.g., “ill” or “sick”). Other synonyms refer to deficiencies in the body (e.g., “deficient” or “weak”) that are sometimes permanent.

Unpleasant or unfavorable

Synonyms for bad meaning “unpleasant or unfavorable” are pretty flexible and can be used across most contexts.

Naughty

When bad means “naughty,” some synonyms emphasize behavior (e.g., “disobedient”) and some emphasize personality (e.g., “impish”).

Rotten

Synonyms for bad meaning “rotten” refer to food. Some synonyms are specific to a certain type of food (e.g., “curdled” is mostly used to refer to bad dairy).

Frequently asked questions about bad synonyms

What’s a synonym for bad thing?

Synonyms for “bad thing” include:

• Adversity
• Calamity
• Cataclysm
• Catastrophe
• Disaster
• Evil
• Misery
• Misfortune
• Tragedy

The synonym you should use depends on what you mean by “thing.”

If none of these words fit, you can also choose an adjective that’s a synonym for bad and use it to describe the noun “thing.”

You can also use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to find a synonym that fits your exact context.

What’s a synonym for bad luck?

Synonyms for “bad luck” include:

• Misfortune
• Adversity
• Hardship
• Ill fortune
• Setback
• Mishap

You can make more synonyms for “bad luck” by choosing an adjective that’s a synonym for bad and using it to describe the noun “luck.”

Or, use the QuillBot free Paraphraser to rephrase your writing with synonyms.

What’s a synonym for bad person?

Synonyms for “bad person” include:

• Villain
• Scoundrel
• Miscreant
• Wrongdoer
• Criminal
• Rogue
• Thug
• Delinquent

Alternatively, choose a synonym for bad and use that adjective to modify the noun “person.”

QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can also help you find more synonyms for “bad person.”

What’s a synonym for bad situation?

Some synonyms for “bad situation” are:

• Crisis
• Catastrophe
• Predicament
• Bind
• Pickle
• Quagmire
• Quandary

You can also choose an adjective that’s a synonym for bad and use it to modify the noun “situation” (e.g., “awful situation”).

You can also use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to find more synonyms like these.

What’s a synonym for bad behavior?

Synonyms for “bad behavior” include:

• Misconduct
• Michief
• Incivility
• Disobedience
• Naughtiness
• Impishness

You could also take a synonym for bad and use that adjective to modify the noun “behavior” (e.g., “vile behavior”).

QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can also help you find more synonyms for “bad behavior.”